Coventry

Coventry's population grew in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. At the same time there were changes in housing tenure, religion and ethnicity.

The population reached nearly 320,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Coventry increased by 5.4%, from almost 301,000 to 317,000.

The addition of about 16,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Coventry was home to, on average, 23 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Coventry

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Coventry decreased by one year, from 35 to 34 years.

This city had the second-lowest average age in the West Midlands and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 10,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 18% of people in Coventry are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Coventry by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Coventry that rented privately increased from 10% to 21% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in six (17%) households lived in social housing, compared with 18% in 2001. The percentage of Coventry households that owned their home decreased from 69% to 61%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the West Midlands. As a result, this area had the region’s highest proportion of privately rented homes.

Private renting in Coventry increased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of households in Coventry, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

Long hour working fell in Coventry, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the West Midlands, except East Staffordshire.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a fall in the proportion of people working long hours, as the regional average fell from 13% to 9.4%.

Across the West Midlands, the proportion of people working long hours fell from 13% to 9.4% between the last two censuses, while the proportion in Nuneaton and Bedworth (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Coventry) fell from 11% to 8.5%.

Long hour working in Coventry decreased by 2.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Coventry, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

Coventry saw the West Midlands' second-largest rise in the proportion of single-parent households.

In 2011, just under one in seven (14%) households in Coventry had a single parent, compared with 12% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising a married couple decreased from 33% to 29%.

Across the region, only Wolverhampton saw a greater rise in the proportion of single-parent households (from 12% to 14%).

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of single-parent households, as the regional average grew from 10% to 11%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

More students

The percentage of Coventry residents that were studying increased from 3.7% to 5.4% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in two (49%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 50% in 2001. The percentage of Coventry residents that were unemployed increased from 4.0% to 5.4%.

The proportion of students increased faster here than anywhere else in the West Midlands. As a result, this area had the region’s highest proportion of students.

Worcester had the West Midlands' second highest proportion of students (4.6%), while Birmingham had the region's third highest proportion (4.4%).

The percentage of students in Coventry increased by 1.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Coventry, the West Midlands and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Coventry saw the West Midlands' joint second-largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents, alongside Wolverhampton. The largest rise was seen in Birmingham

In 2011, just under 1 in 10 (10.0%) households in Coventry had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 9.4% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child remained close to 31%.

During this period, Coventry went from having the 22nd-highest to the 11th-lowest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents out of 309 English local authority areas.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Changing relationships in Coventry

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased in Coventry, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the West Midlands, except Birmingham.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner, as the regional average grew from 10% to 11%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Coventry

Coventry saw the West Midlands' third-largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just under 1 in 16 (6.1%) in Coventry reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 6.7% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.3% to 4.0%.

Across the region, only Wolverhampton (from 6.8% to 6.2%) and Stoke-on-Trent (from 6.7% to 6.1%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Coventry

Census 2011 asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 23% said they had no religion. The figure increased from 23% in 2001

The number of people in Coventry that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 45,000 in 2001 to about 73,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 15% to 23% of those who chose to disclose information about their religious affiliation.

The percentage increased by less than the average across the West Midlands (from 12% to 22%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Coventry that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 200,000 in 2001 to about 170,000 in 2011 (from 65% to 54%). The number of people who described themselves as Muslim increased from just under 12,000 to about 24,000 (from 3.9% to 7.5%).

Just over 20,000 people (8.0%) did not state their religion, down from just over 24,000 in 2001 (6.4%).

The population without a religion in Coventry increased by 7.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Coventry by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Coventry

Census 2011 asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 74% said they were from the White ethnic groups. The figure increased from 74% in 2001

The number of people in Coventry from the White ethnic groups decreased from about 250,000 in 2001 to about 230,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 84% to 74% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across the West Midlands (from 89% to 83%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Coventry from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 36,000 in 2001 to about 52,000 in 2011 (from 12% to 16%). The number of residents from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from just over 5,400 to just under 18,000 (from 1.8% to 5.6%).

Just over 8,200 people (1.7%) said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from just under 5,200 in 2001 (2.6%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Coventry decreased by 10 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Coventry by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Coventry residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 10.0% to 6.1% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 67% in 2001. The percentage of Coventry residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Coventry decreased by 3.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Coventry, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Coventry residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.5% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, about 1 in 40 (2.5%) reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 2.2% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 1.2% in 2001 to 1.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Coventry remained close to 1.5%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Coventry by care, March 2001 and March 2011

↑ Back to the top

Area report data

Related links